Review: CoverGirl LashBlast Length Mascara

You’re on a date with a new guy.

He’s good-looking. He’s nice.

There’s nothing much wrong with him. However, there’s nothing to hold your interest either.

That’s pretty much the way I felt after my test drive of Cover Girl’s new Lash Blast Length mascara.



Meh. It’s okay.

This mascara’s promise is extremely long lashes that hold all day, and the new nylon formula boasts no-flaking.

My experience was so-so long lashes that held a few hours. However, I didn’t experience any flaking, which I usually do with mascaras. I also liked the longer brush on this one. It discovered tiny lashes, I didn’t even realize where there.

Still, I don’t think the good things about this mascara are enough to warrant a long-term relationship or even a second date.

If you’re just looking for an average daily mascara, with no bells and whistles, this will do fine. However, if you’re truly looking for longer lashes stick with Maybelline’s Lash Stiletto Ultimate Length Mascara.

Black Friday Haul Check-In

I was well on my way to resisting the allure of Black Friday.

My car stayed parked in the garage all day. I didn’t even go to the grocery store to restock my dwindling supply of Diet Coke or those Late July Mini Cheese Crackers I can’t stop eating.

Success was oh-so-close.

Then around 11ish Friday night, I fired up the laptop for a quickie peek at Twitter. From there I ended up gawking at the two tops that have been in my J. Crew shopping cart for over a month now.

Both are in brown skin flattering colors and wearable year-round. I can go sleeveless or don a cardigan on cool days. At 20 percent off (yeah, I know it's not the deepest discount, but I'm been holding out for weeks) and free shipping, I couldn’t hold back my itchy submit order finger.

J. Crew’s Annalise Ruffle Cami in cinnamon spice and spicy olive.







That’s it for me. The rest of my shopping will be for restaurant gift cards, which my loved ones prefer to stuff.

Sooooo, check in and tell me all about your Black Friday haul?

Night At The Opera

Okay, I’ll admit it.

Payback was what I had in mind when I initially dragged Mr. Phyllis to the opera. After all, I’ve been through outdoor sports stadium hell, watching baseball in the blazing sun and football in both snow and pouring rain.

Ahhhh, thank God for (indoor) basketball season, but I digress.

Never in a million years did I expect us BOTH to fall madly in love with opera. So we’re looking forward to Nashville Opera’s performance of The Fall of the House of Usher.

But what to wear?

The problem with special occasions is they don’t come around often. So if you’re like me you’re looking at your sparse dressy wardrobe and wondering, “Did I wear this one last time?”

Also, after sitting on my behind writing (and eating and eating), it’s not like I can fit into them anyway.

My solution was to pop by Target to see if they could help me look good on the cheap, and they didn’t let me down. The dress was $39.99 and so was the necklace. I already had shoes, pearl earrings and of course, Spanx.

Below is my first attempt at a Polyvore to illustrate my outfit.

Find me on Polyvore

Sooooo, would you ladies consider a discount retailer for a special occasion dress?

Review: Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick

You don’t come across them often.

In fact, it’s more rare than a 99-percent off everything sale at your favorite department store. That’s right, it just doesn’t happen.

So when I came across a brand, new lipstick display at Target – untouched by dirty fingers and chapped lips – I pounced on it before the red-shirted salesperson could finish setting it up!

Yet my excitement was tempered with the fact I’ve never had much luck with discount and drug store brands. I find their formulas to be either too dry or oily, and the colors to have little or no staying power.

I should have taken the pristine display as a hint that my luck had changed, because I am loving Maybelline’s Color Sensational lip colors!

Glides on smoothly, great color payoff and a variety of gorgeous shades that will make you think you’re in a department store. I picked Broadway Bronze and Mauve-ulous. But I wish I’d also bought the colors I waffled and then passed on.

So if you’re pocketbook isn’t quite up to a M.A.C. attack, definitely give one of these color-rich lippies a try.

If I Can Do It, So Can You!

We’ve all heard the voice.

You know, the one deep inside that whispers:

When I get time, I am going to write a novel.

Sorry. The magic time fairy is a no show. Even after you’re published, writing time is something you grab, sneak and even steal.

So why not grab, sneak and steal that time starting NOW!?!?

That’s right. Open up your word processing program and just freaking do it!

Why now?

It’s National Novel Writing Month! You’ll have tons of support and of plenty of company.

Hey! What are you waiting on? Get over to www.nanowrimo.org to sign up, then get busy writing!

No excuses. I read your blogs. I KNOW you can do it!

P.S. If you want to be my friend over there, just click here.